Things are heating up with NZ’s annual hot sauce festival

Calling all hotheads! Looking to spice up your weekend, literally? Look no further because the Sixth Annual Hot Sauce Festival is back in town and things are heating up. 

There’s no question hot sauce has slowly crept its way to the top of the condiment list over the last few years, with tiny bottles on keychains flooding the market for convenient seasoning use. Traditionally made from a variety of chillies and a simple seasoning of salt and vinegar, the hot sauce game dates back to 1807 and has been evolving ever since. Viewed as an art form rather than a culinary creation, this spicy liquid is a hot commodity in many family pantries and the Sixth Annual Hot Sauce Festival is giving the special sauce it's opportunity to shine. 

Whether you count yourself a hot sauce fiend or just feeling a bit daring, the Annual Hot Sauce Festival is open to all. Brought to you by Auckland’s Sweat Shop Brew Kitchen, this annual event is most definitely one to mark on the calendar. Showcasing over 100 local and international top hot sauces to try and take home, you certainly won’t be stuck for choice. If your tastebuds are left tingling, don’t worry, Sweat Shop Brew Kitchen has an array of award-winning, housemade craft beers to combat the kick. Pairing nicely with a bite from some artisanal Hot Sauce Festival street eats.

Try something a bit different this weekend and watch the nation's strongest stomachs battle it out to take home the fiery crown. Or, If you think of yourself as a self-proclaimed hot sauce maven and your homemade batch is a cut above the rest, then enter your handcrafted concoction into the Handmade Hot Sauce Competition and be in for a chance to win. 

And just when you thought your day couldn’t get any hotter, Roger Farrelly from The Rock Morning Rumble will MC the event with Brotherhood Musiq kicking off the music lineup for an evening of dance floor grooving. Closely followed by more star-studded DJ acts designed to send off Saturday night in style. 

The lowdown

When:

Saturday 29 May, From 12 pm

Where:

Sweat Shop Brew Kitchen, 7 Sale Street, Freemans Bay, Auckland 1010

Get your tickets now from Eventfinda

sweatshopbrewkitchen.co.nz